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Are Doctors allowed to recommend alternative treatments ?

  • 30-09-2016 03:49PM
    #1
    Simon2015
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 702 ✭✭✭


    Just wondering if Doctors in Irish hospitals are allowed to recommend alternative treatments.

    Lets say an oncologist believes the best treatment for cancer is to use cannabis oil would they get into trouble if they told a patient that they should seek out out legal cannabis oil or some other alternative method to treat their cancer.

    Somehow I don't think an oncologist would be able to keep their job if they recommened anything outside "the big 3".


Comments

  • #2
    Breezer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 3,240 ✭✭✭Breezer


    If it's clinically justifiable, ethical and not illegal you can recommend whatever you like, but you'd better be able to back it up on all 3 of those grounds when the lawyers come calling.

    If you're asking whether there's some sort of big pharma heavy hovering over your shoulder ready to disappear you if you don't funnel profit their way at the plain people's expense, then no.


  • #3
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,683 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    If its safe then yes.
    Many have little evidence but seem to work for some people.
    First do no harm is the mantra for docs so that comes into it.


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